Page end audible signal attachment for typewriters



June 7, 1960 R. A. BAKER 2,939,566

PAGE END AUDIBLE SIGNAL ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Nov. 18, 1958 Richard A. Baker 1N VENTOR.

BY Mao/253a.

United States Patent Oce 2,939,566 Patented Jam; 7, 1960 AUDIBLE SQIGNAL ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS PAGE END This inventionrelates to newand useful improvements in page end indicators for typewriters and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for giving an audible signal, clearly distinct from the usual line bell of the machine, for indicating to the typist when the desired bottom margin of the sheet is reached.

, Another very important object'of the present invention is to provide an indicator of the aforementioned character which may readily be used with" substantially all pages of standard dimensions, such as document, legal, whole and half letter sheets, etc.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a page end indicator of the character described which may be expeditiously mounted for use on conventional typewriting machines without the necessity of materially altering said machines structurally.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a page end indicator of the character set forth which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomersubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a page end indicator constructed in accordance with the present inventlon in position on a typewriter;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with aportion broken away in section;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the device, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary unit.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a casing or housing 5 of suitable metal, which housing may be of any desired dimensions. The top and inner side of the housing 5 are open, as shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawing, said housing being substantially U-shaped in longitudinal section. The end portions of the housing 5 are provided with transverse openings or bores 6 for the reception of screws 7 for securing said housing on one end of the usual carriage 8 of a conventional typewriter 9.

Journaled transversely in the lower, front portion of the housing 5 with one end portion projecting therefrom is a shaft 10. *In the embodiment shown, the shaft 10 terminates in a reduced, threaded inner end portion 11 which is adapted to be screwed into a socket provided therefor in the roller or platen shaft 12 of the typewriter 9. The platen of the machine is indicated at 13. It will be noted that the platen shaft 12 projects through the open inner side thereof into the housing 5 to receive the shaft 10. Afiixed to the shaft 10 in the housing 5 is a 2 driving pinion or gear 14. An operating knob 15 is affixed to the outer end portion of the shaft 10. The knob 15 is rotatable closely adjacent the outer side 18 of the housing 5.

A relatively large driven gear 16 is rotatably mounted in the housing 5 through the medium of a shouldered, headed pivot screw 17 which is threadedly mounted in an opening provided therefor in the side wall 18 of said housing. The gear 16 is meshed with the gear 14 for actu'-, ation thereby.

Mounted on the inner side of the gear 16 is a calibrated cylindrical ring or drum 19 of suitable material. The ring 19 has formed therein integral apertured ears 20. The ears 2% are for the reception of screws 21 and a shouldered left hand threaded pin 22 which secure the ring 19 in position on the gear 16. Threaded openings 23 in the gear 16 receive the elements 21 and 22. The pin 22 is of a length to project inwardly beyond the ring 19. At approximately circumferen'tially spaced points, the periphery of the ring 19 is provided with groups of calibrations or graduations 24. In the embodiment which has been illustrated the groups of calibrations 24 are for document, legal, standard or whole and half size letter sheets. An indicator or pointer 25, cooperable withthe calibrated ring 19, is secured by a screw 26 on the front end portion of the housing 5.

The upper, rear end portion of the housing 5 has formed therein a slot or opening 27. The opening 27 is for the reception of one end portion of a click or snap finger, tongue or spring 28 of suitable metal which projects longitudinally into the housing 5 to a point adjacent the ring 19. The snap spring 28 terminates in a right angularly bent, downwardly extending apertured outer end portion 29 which is secured by a screw 30 to the housing 5. The inner or free end portion of the snap spring 28 is in the path of the trip pin 22 for engagement and actuation thereby. An adjusting screw 31 is threadedly mounted in the upper portion of the housing 5 and engaged with the snap spring 28 in the opening 27 for regulating said spring. A loeknut 33 secures the screw 31 in adjusted position. If desired, the spring 28 may be dimpled, as indicated at 32, to modify the tone or sound thereof.

It is thought that the use or operation of the attachment will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, through the medium of the knob 15, the ring 19 is rotated to bring the appropriate graduation 24, according to the length of the 'sheet to be used and the bottom margin desired, to a position opposite the pointer 25. The sheet is inserted in the machine to the starting position. The typing may then begin and with each spacing operation of the machine the ring 19, actuated by the platen, is turned one step in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3 of the drawing. As the desired bottom margin is approached on the page, the pin 22 engages beneath and bends the spring 28 upwardly. When the desired bottom margin is reached, the pin 22 clears the tensioned spring 28 which, when thus freed, returns to its original position in an obvious manner with an audible snap.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A page end indicator for typewriters having a typewriter carriage and typewriter platen, said indicator comprising: a housing mounted on the typewriter carriage, a

calibrated ring rotatably mounted in the housin means operatively connecting said ring to the typewriter platen for actuation thereby, a pointer in the housing oooperable with said calibrated ring for positioning same, a snap spring mounted in the housing, a pin on the ring engageable' with said spring for actuating same for giving an audible signal, and means on the housing for modifying the action of the snap spring for changing the tone thereof.

2. A page end indicator for typewriters having a typewriter carriage and typewriter platen shaft, said indicatoi' comprising: a housing mounted on the typewriter carnage and having an opening therein, a snap spring iuounted in the housing, said snap spring extending through the opening and including an angularly bent end portion secured to the housing, a shaft journaled in the housing and operatively connected to the typewriter platen shaft for actuation thereby, a gear on said shaft, a second gear rotatably mounted in the housing and meshed with the first named gear for actuation thereby, a substantially cylindrical ring mounted on one side of the second named gear, a pin on the ring engageable with the free end portion of the snap spring for actuating same for giving an audible signal, and a screw threadedly mounted in the housing and engaged with the snap spring in the opening for regulating the action of said spring.

3. A page end indicator for typewriting machines having a typewriter carriage and typewriter platen shaft, said indicator comprising: a housing, including an open .4 side and top, mounted on one end of the typewriter carriage, the open side of said housing accommodating the typewriter platen shaft, a shaft journaled in the housing and operatively connected at one end to the platen shaft, a manual operating knob on the other end portion of the second named shaft, a gear fixed on said second named shaft in the housing, a relatively large gear rotatably mounted in the housingand meshed with the first named gear for actuation thereby, a substantially cylindrical, calibrated ring mounted on one side of the second narned gear, a pointer on the housing cooperable with the calibrated ringfor positioning same, a snap spring mounted in the housing and including a free end portion extending adjacent the ring, and means securing the ring on the second named gear, said means including apertured ears on the ring abutting the second named gear, screws in certain of said ears threaded into said second named gear, and a shouldered pin inserted through the other of said ears and left hand threaded into said second named gear, said pin projecting beyond the ring for engagement with the snap s'prifigfor actuating same for giving an audible signal clearly distinct from the usual line bell of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

